1. Field of Invention
A modified shower head provides a timepiece imbedded within a shower head insert allowing a person showering to keep track of time and also to monitor water usage. It also provides the person showering with a timing mechanism to determine the length of time for use of hair products, tints, dyes and treatments without having to reference an outside timepiece. The insert comprises a timepiece within an encased water-proof enclosure.
2. Description of Prior Art
The following United States patents were discovered and are disclosed within this application for utility patent. All relate to mechanisms which incorporate timed apparatus within a shower delivery system.
Two patents describe devices that control the flow of water with a timed shutoff means. In U.S. Pat. No. 2,545,928 to Martin, the automatic water shutoff device has a timer which closes a mechanical valve after a set period of time has expired. It does not tell time, but could, since it embodies a clock face. A similar device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,345,621 to Dunckhorst, except it is specifically adapted to a shower head having a rotary dial to set the time of water flow. It does not tell time.
Most closely similar is a combination timepiece shower head, U.S. Pat. No. 4,944,049 to Leonard, with the first several claims dealing with the aspects of the mechanical shower head with a clock within a housing. The last eight claims deal with the shower apparatus having an electronic clock, a digital clock, a display of real time in digital form, a real time/elapsed time combination display, a battery operation, and a switching means for the clock. It is basically a replacement shower head replacing the conventional shower head without a timepiece. It does not disclose the housing as related to the clock, except for a cursory mention in column 3 lines 51-68, with any specific detail, other than to state that “the clock display . . . is mounted in housing . . . and is completely sealed from water contamination.”, lines 62-64.
A simple hourglass timer which attaches to a shower wall is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,260,918. Several other patents of this nature were also discovered which provide a simple waterproof clock for use in the shower or bath. However, none of them provide any reference which would indicate same or similar elements as would be found in the present device.